25 May

Towel Day

Earl Grey MarTEAni

So we are drinking an...

Earl Grey MarTEAni

Fans of the late, great Douglas Adams, creator of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, will today be celebrating his work. And they do this by carrying towels, because, as H2G2 geeks know, "A towel is about the most massively useful thing an interstellar hitchhiker can have."

Besides the towel fetish, the job of telephone sanitiser, and the answer to "the ultimate question of life, the universe and everything" (42, of course), Adams also created the Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster, a concoction which has donated its name to a range of mostly awful drinks the world over. And, given that the author describes its effect as "like having your brains smashed out with a slice of lemon wrapped round a large gold brick", we are not entirely surprised.

Adams's antihero, Arthur Dent, goes to extreme lengths to get a cup of tea - Earl Grey, to be precise. And so, we are marking today with one of Audrey Saunders' wonderful creations, the Earl Grey MarTEAni.

As huge fans of both Douglas Adams, who sadly died 11th May 2001 aged just 49, and his Hitchhiker's Guide, may we suggest you also toast his creative mind with Marvin's Last Word .

Today is Ian McKellen's birthday

Great classical actor, turned gay rights activist, turned Hollywood star, turned... oh come on, everyone! GANDALF!!!! Ian McKellen was born this day in 1939.

And Sir Ian "Serena" McKellen CH CBE is officially a British national treasure. His bromance with Sir Patrick Stewart won the internet over; he shut down a TV show in gay-unfriendly Singapore by asking the interviewer directions to a gay bar; and, in a feat of pure bloody genius, he's been known to sport underpants emblazoned with "You shall not pass".

And the man who's as happy appearing on Corrie as he was starring in King Lear, who played Magneto in X-Men, and the voice of an animated bear, and who brilliantly slapped down poor Damian Lewis for a casual remark about fruity actors playing wizards, has worn it well.

Happy birthday, Serena! We hope you'll join us in an Apple Mac.

Today is also Stephanie Difford's birthday

The daughter of the discerning drinker behind this website was born this day in 1994.

Despite now working as a science teacher rather than behind the stick, she remains a better bartender than her father, who remembers her helping herself to amaretto liqueur from an early age. So, accordingly, we're wishing Steph a happy birthday with a Amaro-etti Biscotti cocktail created by her father.

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